BETTY Ann Blaine’s New Nation Coalition (NNC) is calling for the Bruce Golding government to leave the Jamaica Defence Force(JDF) headquarters at Up Park Camp, and disclose publicly the details of its plan to relocate the army to St Catherine.
In a statement last night, NNC said it wanted answers on the buyer, the price for the proposed sale of Up Park Camp lands, and the cost of the proposed move of the JDF to Caymanas.
Citing the old time wisdom of 'if it's not broke, don't fix it', Blaine noted that the centrally located site of the army headquarters mid town in the country's crime-ridden capital is the best possible place for such a strategic security resource.
“After one of the most serious insurgencies in our history in this city (in Tivoli Gardens), and with the potential for urban warfare in our capital, the most crime-ridden spot in our land, why does the prime minister want to move our army to St Catherine?” Blaine asked. “If we have serious trouble in the Corporate Area again, will the JDF be able to respond quickly and effectively from a base miles away and with only two main routes into Kingston?”
In addition, she said the army is now close to all the critical state institutions and government bodies: Parliament, government ministries, the court of appeal, all located in the Corporate Area.
“From the security point of view, how could you want to move the JDF nerve centre?” Blaine asked
The party, which started operation last year, also cited the historical feature of JDF as another reason not to move it.
Last week, Information Minister Daryl Vaz said the relocation was more or less a done deal.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lates...#ixzz17LTl8dg3
In a statement last night, NNC said it wanted answers on the buyer, the price for the proposed sale of Up Park Camp lands, and the cost of the proposed move of the JDF to Caymanas.
Citing the old time wisdom of 'if it's not broke, don't fix it', Blaine noted that the centrally located site of the army headquarters mid town in the country's crime-ridden capital is the best possible place for such a strategic security resource.
“After one of the most serious insurgencies in our history in this city (in Tivoli Gardens), and with the potential for urban warfare in our capital, the most crime-ridden spot in our land, why does the prime minister want to move our army to St Catherine?” Blaine asked. “If we have serious trouble in the Corporate Area again, will the JDF be able to respond quickly and effectively from a base miles away and with only two main routes into Kingston?”
In addition, she said the army is now close to all the critical state institutions and government bodies: Parliament, government ministries, the court of appeal, all located in the Corporate Area.
“From the security point of view, how could you want to move the JDF nerve centre?” Blaine asked
The party, which started operation last year, also cited the historical feature of JDF as another reason not to move it.
Last week, Information Minister Daryl Vaz said the relocation was more or less a done deal.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lates...#ixzz17LTl8dg3
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